‘Close’: Director suggests he’ll sign £4.5m Celtic man after Watford snub

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IFK Gothenburg are ‘close’ to signing a new goalkeeper amid links with Celtic’s Scottish Premiership misfit Vasilias Barkas, sporting director Pontus Farnerud tells Fotboll Skanalen. 

First impressions count.

And, just 66 minutes into Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic reign, Barkas took a sledgehammer to his hopes of a revival under the new manager.

Postecoglou could do nothing but watch on in horror as Evander’s pot-shot free-kick slipped through the goalkeeper’s grasp and into the back of Barkas’ net, paving the way for Midtjylland to cut Celtic’s Champions League story short before the end of July. 

The £4.5 million glovesman has played just once since then. And, unless Joe Hart and Scott Bain both succumb to injury, it feels like that December win at St Johnstone will be Barkas’ final appearance with a clover on his crest.

Has Vasilias Barkas played his last game for Celtic?

Barkas missed out on a January move to Sheffield United. The Blades opted instead for the more affordable option that was Stoke City’s Adam Davies.

But that does not mean the former AEK Athens ace is destined to spend the next four months gathering dust on sidelines. 

The Swedish transfer window will remain open until March 31st. And, after selling Giannis Anestis to Panetolikos, IFK Gothenburg are scouring the market for an experienced ‘shot-stopper’. 

Then again, if Barkas had stopped more shots over the last 18 months or so, Celtic probably wouldn’t be so keen to cash in. 

“We want to bring in a goalkeeper,” explains Farnerud. “And we will do that. We’re close (to signing one). But I do not want to say who it is.

“I will not comment on how many (goalkeepers we’ve considered). But we have looked at many and have high ambitions.

Farnerud does admit that IFK, 18-time winners of the Swedish Allsvenskan, tried to sign Pontus Dalhberg from Premier League Watford.

But Dalhberg, who started his career in Gothenburg, opted to stay in England and join relegation-threatened Gillingham on loan. 

“I do not want to comment on any names but I can say Dahlberg (was a target),” the director adds. “It’s natural we’ve talked to him but he chose to sign for Gillingham.”